Is Your Daughter's Coach A Sexual Predator?

Desire for Power is Central Trait

James R. Tavares was the coach of
a highly successful amateur basketball team in Massachusetts for
players aged 13 to 17. Scores of his players had earned basketball
scholarships at Division I colleges. But Tavares had a secret: an
arrest record for sex offenses and an alleged history of sexually
inappropriate conduct towards some of his players. Years ago,
Tavares resigned amid disclosure of his police record and allegations
that he had asked some players to take whirlpool baths with him and
made them shower while he watched.

"Predators come from all
walks of life and, more often than not, have a smooth, well-mannered
demeanor. They can be charming, witty, helpful, eager to please, says
Shaune Osborne, Risk Management Coordinator for the Iowa State Youth
Soccer Association.

Men Coaching Girls A Special Problem?

Linda Van Housen didn't tell her
mother when her track coach sexually abused her. People don’t
understand the power a charismatic coach has over a girl," Van Housen
said. "My coach would tell me we had a special relationship no one
would understand and to keep it a secret."

Psychiatrist Peter Rutter says
that the central personality trait of men who take advantage of
trusting women, whether as a coach, professor, minister or
psychotherapist, is a desire for power. Van Housen said her track
coach's obsession with control manifested itself in harsh rules. During
long rides to meets, he wouldn't stop to let the girls on the team use
the bathroom. He'd say how weak we were, which is what he'd say if when
he didn't allow water breaks or made us run with injuries." As a result
of the coach's abuse, Van Housen became a withdrawn teenager, isolated
from her friends.

The key to solving this national
problem is awareness, say coaches, athletes, administrators and
psychologists. Break the silence, says youth athlete Health and Safety advocate Brooke de Lench, founding Executive Director of MomsTeam Institute. Parents and daughters need to talk about the issue.